Zenith Star
by GoldenMassacre
Summary: After Veritaserum induces Draco into a horrific confession during Potions, Harry has to decide wether he should cross that line between love and hate through a series of recollections done under the stars.


**Disclaimer: **Don't own the characters! The amzaing J.K Rowling does but I decided to borrow them for my creative puposes.

"No," said Harry softly.

His voice carried throughout the silent classroom that was filled with stunned faces. Some of them showed great shock, others held anger and there was one that seemed knowing.

Before him stood a scandalized Professor Snape and a vial in his hand that was dangerously slipping from the man's limp grip. Adjacent to Snape, who seemed to be rendered useless, stood an abashed looking Draco Malfoy. His head was down and his silky blond hair poured over his shimmering silver eyes.

"It can't be true...you can't possibly …?"

Harry looked at Draco with questioning eyes; wanting him to answer the one question that had inhabited and set up camp in his mind but didn't want to pour from his mouth. Malfoy looked up and his eyes rested on him; the blush on his pale cheeks had dimmed but it was still present. He parted his soft lips and whispered gently,

"Harry…"

And that was all Harry needed to answer the question which had anchored itself in his mind. He took one last look at Draco, turned on his heel and ran like hell. He ended up perched on a rock near the lake and stayed there until nightfall came. The night was beautiful; the stars were gathered among the skies; they grouped together forming constellations. And as he watched them sparkle, each trying to outdo the other, he spotted the constellation he knew so well; or at least he thought he had. He picked up a pebble, held it tightly and threw it at the water. He furiously wiped the tears in his eyes as he replayed the events of Potions class that afternoon.

"_Today we will be brewing __Veritaserum__. As an advance potions class I would expect you to be more competent than the usual dunderheads I am forced to teach." At this Snape glared at Harry who glared right back. It seemed as if Snape's hatred for him had increased dramatically after he started doing well in his class. The truth was he had received points of advice on potion making from someone. _

"_Ready Potter?"_

"_You wish," said Harry meekly as he turned to face his partner who gave him a chuckle in return._

The news that Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter were made potions partners had spread like wildfire at the beginning of the year. Everyone had fully expected them to kill the other by Christmas at the latest. This was because many of the Advance potions classes had required partner research essays prior to the actual potion being completed. This meant more time with your partner outside of the classroom; especially since Snape would not allow his advance class a moments rest.

Harry as he remembered their first meeting in late October as he stared at the Zenith Star illuminating the night.

"_Potter! Why the fuck are you this late?"_

"_Well sorry Malfoy," said Harry sarcastically, "I had a problem to attend to"_

"_Sucking face with your girl weasel does not constitute as a reason for being late! When I tell you to be here at the library, at this desk, at 12 fucking o'clock then I expect you to be here!" _

_Harry had turned bright red at the Ginny comment for he had indeed been held up because Ginny insisted on a make-out session. He however had said no for he had had enough. He knew about her affair with Corner and told her as much. This resulted in a screaming match which had made him late. However that did not give Malfoy any right to scream at him and he told him as much._

"_You are not my Father!"_

"_No, Potter, I am not but I at least know what it is like to have one."_

_Harry saw red. He whipped out his wand at the same time as Draco had pulled out his. Ignoring the cry form several of the onlookers and the command to stop the nonsense from Madam Pince, he shouted the first spell that came to his mind,_

"_Sectumsempra!"_

_Thing was, the same words had been spoken by his dueling partner._

He had woken up in the infirmary many hours later Harry recalled as he strolled around the grounds allowing his memories to conduct him.

"_Nice of you to join me Potter, would you like another sarcastic comment or prefer the Avada Kedevra right now?"_

"_Shut up Malfoy," Harry said groggily._

_His whole body hurt. He could feel the slashes from the curse as they burned an angry red. A glance at Malfoy and Harry realized that Malfoy seemed fine. He lay reading the prophet; the only hints of a problem were the scars that teased his hands and chest. He briefly wondered why Malfoy seemed such at ease when he could barely stand the pain. He was about to voice this when Madam Pomfrey entered the hospital wing closely followed by Snape, McGonagall and Dumbledore._

"_Ah Mr. Potter you are awake and well,"_

"_Hardly," Harry interrupted. Malfoy rolled his eyes though they shined with some amusement._

"_Now onto serious matters," Dumbledore continued with a dark tint taking over his usually bright eyes. "What you two did this afternoon in the library was unacceptable."_

"_Barbaric more like," Added Madam Pomfrey as she rubbed ointments on Harry's wounds and made him drink foul tasting potions._

"_This will not occur again or else you will both be expelled. You, as punishment, will be serving two months detentions and no Hogsmead privileges until after the winter break. I will not tolerate this behavior from any of you and you will learn to cooperate whether you are aware of it or not. The other is the key to your freedom after all," he said with the usually twinkly returning to his eye. _

_Harry was appalled. TWO month's worth of detention! No Hogsmead! He barely had time to relax to begin with! _

"_But sir you can't…"_

"_Potter your behavior was childish and idiotic. Accept the consequences and next time think before you lose 200 points from Gryffindor," said McGonagall sternly._

"_Same for you Malfoy," said an irate Professor Snape to an indifferent Malfoy._

Harry had never understood Malfoy's actions that night. Malfoy had always remained a man of mysteries behind that cool façade. Harry smiled a bit as he remembered their first detention.

_Harry entered the dim room and found Professor Snape and Malfoy already there._

"_My, have we had the honor to finally be graced with your presence Mr. Potter?" sneered Snape._

_Draco sat at a desk with his arms folded and his eyes unfocused. He wore a black buttoned-up shirt with the first two buttons undone and black slacks and shoes to match. He always looked elegant even when he was not required to wear school clothing, Harry noted. If that was casual for Malfoy, Harry would hate to hear his opinion on Harry's ripped Jeans and rumpled T-Shirt. _

"_You two will work together on the Luminarium potion which allows the drinker to see exceptionally well in the dark. It is highly dangerous and can be a poison when brewed improperly. I suggest no fooling around." With that he swept form the room and locked the door after him._

_Draco went over to the supply closet and started gathering the ingredients. Harry stared after him, his for head furrowed in confusion. _

"_Set up the cauldron Potter. My ass deserves better than looks from the likes of you."_

_Harry blushed a bit but rolled his eyes and got to work._

After that night he and Draco had set up an agreement. They could at least try to be civil; none of them had time for additional detention. As the weeks flew by they began to talk more. They talked of Quidditch, the boringness that exuded from the History of Magic classroom, the potions they were working on in class, Potion brewing advice and overall anything that came to mind. Outside of detention, many had noticed, that Draco and Harry had actually stopped fighting. Sure there were those occasional run-ins and confrontations but they pretty much left each other alone. Some chalked it up to homework stress but after one chilly December afternoon no one could deny that something had changed.

_Harry was running down the hallways with incredible speed. He was about to be late to McGonagall's class and if his speed was any indication, she would not be pleased if he was late. As he turned a corner of a hallway filled with people whom he has just shoved through, he ran into someone sending both of them onto the floor._

_Everyone stopped and looked on._

_Draco Malfoy was slowly getting up from the floor as he stared down at Harry who seemed to be trying to bring his thoughts together. He picked up his stuff and then turned to face the boy who had now just realized who he rammed into to and was looking up guiltily from the floor._

"_Er…sorry Malfoy," he said sheepishly._

_Draco seemed to be having an inner conflict until he finally reacted and surprised everyone. With a smile and a small chuckle he said,_

"_Geez Potter for a minute there I thought you were Aunt Marge!"_

_Harry cracked up and took the hand Draco had offered him. He had told Draco about that story last night while they cleaned the trophies in the Trophy room. The bell rang and they looked alarm._

"_Shit," they said simultaneously and offered each other a small amused laugh before Draco ran off while offering a 'see you in detention' before he rounded the other corner._

_Harry ran off to his class with such a broad smile on his face that even McGonagall couldn't make disappear; even when she offered another day's detention._

After that day they talked to each other outside the classroom. Ron had threw a fit shouting things like Harry was 'lowering himself into a snake pit' and he wouldn't be the one helping him claw his ass out of there when that 'Malfoy-scum' turned against him. Hermione on the contrary found his new found friendship with Draco welcoming. She felt that it was about time they put their differences aside for she and Draco had a long time ago. He had apologized to her and they studied together in the library occasionally.

Harry remembered when he made a grave mistake the detention before they went on Christmas break.

"_I have two questions Malfoy," said Harry. This had been bothering him for quite a while and he felt the need to address the issue._

_Draco put aside the basket full of herbs they had been ordered to pick from the Herbology greenhouses; Snape was running low on ingredients because of 'idiotic first-years' and 'troublesome 3__rd__ years.' He looked up at Harry as he sat at a stool and gave him the look to continue._

"_When I first woke up in the hospital wing after the __Sectumsempra incident my scars hurt like hell. However, you seemed fine even with them marring your skin. Why...um…is that?"_

_Draco laughed a little and replied, "When you've been hurt so many times and repeatedly by the Cruciatus curse, other torturing spells seem like nothing." _

"_Oh right."_

_An awkward silence proceeded until Draco reminded Harry of his second question. _

"_Well you see …you Er…made your peace with Hermione long ago; in the beginning of the year in fact. I know you will never make peace with Ron but I was wondering why it took so long to do so with me." _

_Draco closed his eyes and took a deep breath as if blowing off some newfound anger. He opened them and fixed Harry with a penetrating stare and said simply,_

"_You insulted my mother."_

_Harry stared at Draco in confusion. He had not insulted Narcissa at any point from what he could remember. She had after all helped him, saved him in fact. His gaze turned into one of defiance and he said,_

"_I have not insulted your mother Malfoy."_

"_Yes you did"_

"_When?"_

_Draco let out a laugh and said, "Remember this?" he stood up and walked towards Harry who was beginning to feel uncomfortable with how this conversation was going. Draco took a causal stance and said in an imitation of Ron's voice,_

"_Heard the news? Malfoy is whoring around in the Snakes Pit. Rumor has it he's picking them and dropping them like hot coals. Probably following in the footsteps of his mother eh Harry?"_

_Harry immediately recognized that conversation. He and Ron had been sitting outside on the grounds during break when the rumor that Malfoy was the ultimate 'Sex-God' had spread around. He felt a pang of guilt and some undefined emotion at remembering this; however he jumped immediately to defend his friend._

"_Ron was the one that insulted her not I. And Ron didn't mean that!"_

"_Of Shut the fuck up Potter! You know as well as I do that he meant that. And You! Instead of defending the woman who saved your ass from being killed by Voldermort, you laughed about it!"_

"_Even if I had, it's Ron! It's not like what I say is going to make his opinion change! I am tired of having to fucking defend everybody Ok. Why can't I just let others defend themselves?"_

_Malfoy laughed cruelly, almost like his father though he could never reach the same amount of coldness. He looked at Harry with a glare that Harry hadn't received in months, picked up his basket, and went over to the door. Here he paused and said almost inaudibly,_

"_You're not tired of defending everyone Harry; you're just having a hard time defending those you once thought were enemies."_

That night after Malfoy left Harry thought about his words and found so much truth in them. Draco, his mother and Blaise Zabini had all helped the Order throughout the war. Draco and Blaise had become spies and even though they risked their lives, they always brought the Order much needed information. Without them, the Order wouldn't have been as prepared as it was in the Final battle.

That conversation had happened two weeks ago. The week that Draco had come back from Christmas break they barely talked. Draco was always surrounded by other boys and girls for it was common knowledge that he was bisexual. Harry didn't like to think about that little detail because he hated how his stomach and heart clenched when he did. However, one fact that remained was that with no more detentions to keep in touch, Harry found Draco becoming a mystery to him again. He didn't want to feel as if those nights meant nothing. But this brought him back to his current predicament.

"_Harry if you follow the instructions there is nothing to it, honestly don't be such a weakling."_

"_You're not the one who has to brew a dangerous potion when having a very limited capacity at potion making."_

"_No, but I am the one who has to brew a dangerous potion with a partner who has a very limited capacity at potion making."_

_Harry laughed. It had been two weeks since they talked freely like this and he was enjoying their playful banter. Harry had noticed that throughout the weeks and even throughout class today, Draco had constantly snuck glances at him when he thought the other wasn't looking. Harry however dismissed these observations for later discussion._

_During the last 10 minutes of class, Snape announced that a potion from one of partner groups was to be tested. His eyes zeroed in on Harry and a slight smirk appeared on his lips._

"_Potter, Malfoy! Each of you bring me a flask of your potion now."_

_Harry and Draco did as they were told and went to hand it to the professor. He took Harry's however did not take Malfoy's and instead said, _

"_Let's test this shall we? Malfoy drink up and hope to Merlin Potter hasn't poisoned you. "_

_Draco looked at Harry in mock-worry and downed the potion. It was perfect in color but some poisons were known to be clear as well. Snape seemed to be pleased that Draco wasn't asphyxiating or something of the sort because he then told Harry to ask Draco a question. Draco seemed to get a bit nervous at this and before he could object Harry said,_

"_So Malfoy, what is your deepest most embarrassing secret."_

_The fear in Draco eyes could not be described as his eyes widened and he helplessly said, _

"_I am in love with you"._

Harry couldn't fathom the idea and fled from the room. And now as he stood at the edge of the lake he knew what to do. All those memories taught him that Draco had always been a constant in his life. Even now where Draco was no where in sight, his image was shining down at him from where it was sprawled across the sky. With a small smile Harry headed up to towards the castle, his dragon twinkly brightly against the dark night.

_HDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDH_

Draco sat on the ledge of balcony in the Astronomy Tower. After trying but failing flawlessly to catch some sleep, he decided to take a walk. He had no idea what Harry was doing or thinking at this moment but he wouldn't cross out the idea of Harry currently puking into a bucket after having heard Draco's pronouncement in potions. He had never known love as he knew now. Love, he had thought, was the willingness to hurt somebody to show that you cared for them. That was what his father had taught him anyway; but he was dead now. He had hardly began to accept the fact of his love for Harry but now the whole school knew and perhaps the world soon enough since the Prophet would certainly have a field day with this one. He could see the headlines now: There is a fine line between love and Hate. Very clichéd but that was the Prophet for you. As he contemplated the pros and cons of throwing himself from this height, his silver eyes spotted the constellation he was named after. A snowy owl however, obstructed his view as it soared towards him and landed on his shoulder.

Draco recognized the owl immediately and took its letter with bated breath. He shakily opened the letter and unfolded it to reveal its contents

_Draco,_

_I am sorry for not defending your mother when I should have for your right; she did save me. Another thing you were right about is that I was having a hard time defending those I thought were enemies. It is hard to realize that those who you thought you hated, are the ones who have been with you through thick and thin as well and I owe you so much for that. I also never thanked you for saving me. I know you didn't think I knew but I know you killed Lucius before he was able to manage killing me for good. I saw you do so Draco and can you believe I am so proud and happy that you did? He was your father after all and I know you told me that he never had been a real father during detention, but it still means a lot. _

_Tonight I sat by the lake and thought about what you said to me in potions. __I guess I should__ I want to apologize for asking you that question. Can I chalk it up to curiosity? Though what you said took me by surprise, I guess you gathered that as you watched my...hasty…retreat from the classroom, I have to say it did make me think about our past. We were never friends Draco, of that I am certain, but maybe we can do a better job at being lovers instead._

_I love you._

_-Harry _

"_**Love is just a word until someone comes along and gives it meaning."**_

**A/N: **I hope you guys enjoy the story. My second post on this site. Constructive criticism aslways helpful :-).


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